


Our Fate is a Gift

by ChesapeakeRip_yourclothesoff



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Amnesia, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Eventual Relationships, First Kiss, Idiots in Love, M/M, Masturbation, Memory Loss, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:01:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25039663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChesapeakeRip_yourclothesoff/pseuds/ChesapeakeRip_yourclothesoff
Summary: After their fight with the Dragon, Hannibal assumes that he and Will will finally run away together, but is shocked to find that Will is suffering from amnesia as a result of their fall. How will Hannibal react when, for the first time, he is given the option to save Will Graham. How will he deal with Will, who does not remember Hannibal or any of his crimes?
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 49
Kudos: 219





	1. A Sea of Ink

**Author's Note:**

> Title is a reference to Dante’s Inferno! I wanted to write this to explore Hannibal’s thoughts and feeling if he is presented with a Will who does not remember anything. For the first time in his life, he questions who he is, and he has to decide whether he will fully own his role as the Chesapeake Ripper.

Hannibal’s head breached the top of the water, the only break in the inky sky that bled into the equally black water. As he gulps in air he looks around to search for his potential partner in death and finds him unconscious and sinking below the surface. Hannibal couldn’t help but think that the man looked as lovely as a Syren, a beautiful monster capable of luring men to their deaths with a stare and ethereal beauty. Had he not been motivated by the imminent danger of his gun shot wound, he would perhaps have watched the image and seared it into his mind, a picture of a God returning to the earth.

The crashing of the waves broke Hannibal’s reverie and he swan over to the other man to support his body. Will was a dead weight and it was difficult to get him to the shore, but Hannibal had carried him before and would do so with far less motivation. Hannibal managed to get both of them to the rocky beach, and as soon as they were out of the water, he lay next to the quiet body. From his position on the ground, Hannibal was able to see Will’s chest rise and fall with shallow breaths, confirming that the other man was alive and only unconscious. Hannibal lay there for an indiscernible amount of time whilst he unconsciously synchronised his breathing to Will’s, a syncopated beat that Hannibal thought was more beautiful than any piece of classical music he had listened to.

In the distance Hannibal could see the faint light of a boat, bobbing up and down in the water. He knew that the boat contained his guardian angel, who had never ceased in watching over him during his life, and near death. The boat came closer and closer until he saw the slight figure of Chiyoh on the front deck, looking at the two bodies on the shore. 

As Chiyoh got to the shore, Hannibal stood up and began to lift Will’s unconscious body. It was not until he stumbled from the loss of blood that he realised how exhausted he was and it took Chiyoh holding onto him to prevent him from falling. Together, Hannibal and Chiyoh were able to hold up Will’s body and bring him to the boat. Lifting him until he lay on the deck. 

Chiyoh started the engine of the boat, a low rumble that Hannibal was sure that Will would be able to recognise, even in his current state. Once they were far enough away from the cliffs that their existence was only an imprint on Hannibal’s memory, Chiyoh began looking at his wounds, silently assessing their severity. She then got up and went to the lower deck where she returned a short while later with a first aid kit. She began to treat him, making sure to clean both the entrance and exit wound in his abdomen. When she had finished Hannibal finally spoke in a raspy voice, vocal cords damaged by the salt water,

“Is he okay? Is he breathing?” Had Chiyoh known him any less, she would have thought that he was pleading. 

“Lay down, Hannibal. I will check that he is fine” as Chiyoh began tending to the other man. She diligently checked all of his wounds but lacked the touch of compassion that she had when she touched Hannibal. 

“He is breathing, his shoulder is dislocated and will need to be set when he wakes up. I will put stitches in his cheek. He appears to have bruising and swelling on his head, possibly from the impact of the fall. He should wake up soon”. At that Chiyoh stood up and retook her place at the wheel of the boat, driving them further and further away from the land and further away from those who may search for them. 

\-----X-----

It took a number of days for Will to fully wake. Hannibal was sometimes awakened by low murmuring or a grunt in pain, as he lay next to the other man on the small cabin bed. It was hardly big enough for the two of them but Hannibal did not want to stray too far from Will in case he awoke. He wanted to be the first thing he saw as he welcomed the other man in his awakening. This was the start of their new lives together, as equals. They had been rebirthed when they were spat out by the rolling Atlantic Ocean and here they lay together, victorious. 

Hannibal was laying down and Chiyoh was redressing his wound when Will finally regained consciousness. Hannibal sat up straight away, no regard for his gunshot wound, and turned straight towards his remarkable boy. Hannibal had never doubted their ability to fight the Dragon and win. He had never doubted Will as both the hunter and the beast. When Will finally turned fully towards Hannibal his eyes betrayed nothing, There was no pride for defeating death, no remorse for the death spared. He did not seem angry or happy to be alive. It was the first time Hannibal had looked at the empath and had seen his gaze clear and uncompromised by the feelings of others. Hannibal was the first to look away, his gaze moving across the man’s body to check the rise and fall of his chest. The clear and steady breath calmed Hannibal before he had realised his pulse had begun to race, trepidation at the thought of Will regretting his actions, telling him that he was going back to Molly, to the perfect life he had given up the moment he had looked in Hannibal’s eyes between the bulletproof glass. 

“Will-“

“Who are you? What’s going on-“ the sentence was interrupted by a shout of pain from Will as he tried to sit up, causing the man to submit to the stares of both Hannibal and Chiyoh.

Hannibal once again looked into Will’s eyes and did not see pain or anger. There was no love or resentment. For the first time, he saw nothing.


	2. Tartarus

“He tried to kill you, Hannibal,” Chiyoh explained in an exasperated voice, “and you let him. He will do it again.”

“He did. We were born again as one and he will not return to his former life. You have looked after me, Chiyoh. You have watched over me but your job is done. You are no longer bound to me, or to your prisoner.” Chiyoh stared at him for a few more moments, before turning away and walking to the lower deck. Hannibal went to the room that Will currently occupied and looked at the sleeping man.

Upon waking to the unknown faces of Hannibal and Chiyoh, Will had remained quiet until Hannibal had walked over to check his skull for any visible damage. It wasn’t until Will flinched and moved across the bed that Hannibal halted his movements. He was not known to the man in front of him. Will was not aware of how much violence Hannibal was capable of. He was not aware of the all-consuming love that he felt for the man who looked at him warily. Will and Hannibal had stared at each other for a drawn-out moment until Will suddenly threw his body off the tiny cabin bed in an attempt to flee. Hannibal’s attempts at restraining the man had only made him resist more and Chiyoh silently left the room, returning a short while later with a needle. Will looked at the needle with fear for a few moments before he doubled his efforts at escape. Chiyoh was forced to inject Will, the sedative acting quickly and efficiently until Hannibal was left with the man’s limp body in his arms.

Now Hannibal stood in the room looking at a sleeping Will and questioning his next step. Will did not know who he was, he could throw him overboard and no one would know. The FBI would assume he was dead from his tumble off the cliff and Jack would delude himself into thinking that he had not suffered any pain. He knew that that was not a possibility. Will had survived the Dragon and would not die by the hands of the Chesapeake Ripper. He could not kill the only man who had seen him and appreciated his work. He could lie to Will, give him a fake name and keep him to himself, locked away in a house, whilst the old Will was locked away in his mind palace. Again, Hannibal knew he could not do that. He could not deprive the other of his true self and leave behind the only person he had truly loved. The last time he had felt the all-consuming love within his veins was the last time he had seen Mischa alive. 

He walked over to the sleeping man and placed a gentle hand on his face, the skin warm, but not feverish. Apart from the gunshot wound in his side Hannibal retained most of his mobility, Chiyoh having diligently cleaned and stitched up the wounds to ensure that he would not suffer any long-term effects. He also noted that Will’s cheek had 10 small, even stitches to keep the wound closed. The two had stepped out into the night, victorious, the wounds a reminder that they had shed their skin on the bluff, revealing to the lonely moonlight their true selves. Now, Hannibal stood before a man who was unaware of the art that he was capable of. He remained seated at the side of the bed until Will’s eyes fluttered. Hannibal had immediately gotten up, ready to support the man and leaning over him to check that his eyes were opening. A fleeting moment of confusion crossed Will’s features but quickly morphed into a look that was a mixture of fear, defiance, and curiosity. 

“Are you going to answer my question?” The rough voice of Will broke the silence. It was barely beyond a whisper, his voice rougher than the sand that lay beneath them as they dragged themselves from the water. 

Looking at Will at that moment made Hannibal feel like Tantalus, bound to be punished for eternity for his greed. He had taken more than what Will had freely given him and now he was made to look upon a poor imitation of the only man he considered his equal. 

“Your name is Will. We are on a boat somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. I will need to check your skull to see if I can detect any physical damage. It is likely that your loss of memory is a result of your accident.”

“My accident?”

“Yes, we were in a car accident, a vehicle hit us, causing us both to become injured,” Will stared at him for a few moments, curiosity clear on his face, but did not ask for him to elaborate any further. Hannibal knew he could not tell Will the truth now. He would first have to establish what he remembered and find a way to reveal to Will his true self without the fear of rejection. Will’s moral compass had been tenacious, allowing him to go nearly forty-five years denying his true nature. How much of that remained was uncertain.

“How do I know you? Are we friends?” Will asked him, still cautious of the other man.

“Yes. One would argue that we know each other intimately. Now, I do need to check you for injuries, I would hate for you to become unconscious again,” Will stared at him silently until he finally gave a tentative nod. 

Hannibal moved forward to place his hands on Will’s face, he looked into his eyes to check that they were focused. He then moved his hand to the back of his head, threading his hand through his hair until he encountered a swollen mass. When he took his hand from Will’s hair, he noticed a small amount of dried blood. The injury did not seem life-threatening and Hannibal knew that it was likely Will would regain his memories within a few months. In the meantime, Hannibal would seek to remind Will of his previous life in an attempt to induce clarity.

He told Will his diagnosis, Will nodding all the while until he finally said, “shouldn’t I go to the hospital or something? Get it checked out by a real doctor?” Hannibal could not stifle his smirk when he replied,

“I assure you I am a real doctor. And no, unfortunately. You cannot go to the hospital as you do not have insurance, and we can not afford to go now,” Hannibal hated the lie but he knew that if Will remembered anything of his childhood, he would accept the explanation. Trips to the hospital were for life-threatening situations and as long as he was breathing, it was not life-threatening. Will merely nodded, meekly accepting the explanation. Hannibal continued, saying, “We will be on the boat for a few more weeks. We are heading to Sweden where I have a home. We will be able to stay there whilst you recover.”

Will continued to nod his agreement, not arguing with Hannibal on his plan. Hannibal wondered what was going on in his head. The Will he had once known was not the type to hold back on his thoughts or opinions, but the Will in front of him only sat there in agreement. As well as this, the two men sat close together on the bed, their knees touching, with neither man pulling away. Hannibal knew that Will would not have allowed this sort of proximity, not whilst he was conscious. Hannibal stood then, taking a step back and announcing, 

“I am going to make us something to eat. I can bring the food to you if you wish to stay here. Otherwise, I will down the hallway, the second door to the left,” at the Hannibal opened the bedroom door and went to step out of it. As he went to shut the door, he was interrupted by a gravelly voice saying,

“You still haven’t told me your name.”

“My name is Hannibal.” The two men looked at each other but Hannibal saw no recognition in Will’s eyes. He was looking into the void, over the bluff into the endless black ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcome and appreciated!


	3. Fraus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I studied amnesia for a short time whilst I studied psychology, but I am by no means an expert! I know that my description of amnesia, as well as its effects, are medically inaccurate. I took the liberty to use it as a storytelling device and do not intend for its use to be accurate or set in reality!
> 
> This chapter will be in Will's perspective, exploring some of his initial thoughts of Hannibal and their situation.

Will sat on the bed for a few more moments before he decided to go and find the other man. He had not seen the rest of the boat, but he had instantly recognised the soft swaying as if he was recalling a dream after waking up. He did not know where he was or who else was there, he had seen a younger woman when he had first woken up but he had not been able to steal another glance at her face that, although beautiful, was stern and held resentment towards him. Will looked around the room to find something that he could recognise, but the sterile white sheets and walls held no familiarity. 

At last Will finally stood up, mindful of the pain in his body, the pulsing in his shoulder and cheek. He opened the door that the other man had gone through and followed his directions. When he opened the door at the end of the hallway, he was greeted with the smell of food and the gentle heat of a stovetop. Will stood in the doorway and stared at the man, his back was straight, and he held himself with grace. Will wouldn’t have been surprised to discover that he was a dancer, his long and slender legs moved both delicately but also with purpose. He then looked at his hair. It was short and had strands of grey, blond and brown. He did not have any facial hair and his smooth jawline was sharp but was nothing compared to the regal cheekbones that gave the man an air of superiority. His face was unusual, not bad looking but was also bewitching and Will found that he could not take his eyes off of him, even if only to figure out how old he was. 

As he moved, Will noticed that he leaned towards one side more than the other, not enough that would immediately be noticeable, but the intensity of his examination was enough for Will to notice the small detail. As soon as he did, however, it was obvious the man was trying to act like he wasn’t in pain.

“What is wrong with your side?” Hannibal did not give any indication that he was shocked to find Will standing there, his countenance soft but reserved. 

“A minor injury, I assure you. Come, food is ready,” Will looked at the plate which held slices of bread, olives, prosciutto and artichokes. Will only then realised how hungry he was and quickly took a seat at the kitchen table that was against the wall. The table was small and there were two chairs facing each other on either side. As he sat down, Hannibal placed the plate in front of him, along with a glass of water and some pills.

“To help with the pain,” Hannibal explained as if he could read Will’s mind. Will did not know if he should trust the pills himself, he did not know the in front of him and whether he was a friend or not. It wasn’t until he saw Hannibal take two of the same tablets, swallowing them down with water, that he dared to put them in his mouth.  
Will began eating the food, eating a few mouthfuls quickly, before slowing down and looking at the man before him. Hannibal was watching him intently and there was something in his eyes. Will swore he could see a flicker of sadness across his face before it vanished as quickly as it had come. 

“Whose boat is this?” Will asked him, acting nonchalant despite the flurry of questions that he wanted to ask. He wanted to ask who he really was. He wanted to ask why they were stuck on this boat. He wanted to ask why he looked at him as though he had caused him pain. 

“The boat belongs to me. I bought it a few years ago when…” Hannibal faltered, the pain sullying his face once again, “it will be our home for a while, feel free to look around and make yourself at home. We will need to make a stop before long to restock the kitchen, but I would estimate that we have enough food for a week at least.”

“Who was the woman that was with you earlier?”

“Chiyoh. She is an old friend of mine. She will be with us until we dock in Sweden, where she will go her own way”.

“She doesn’t like me”. Will said bluntly.

“Ah I see you are perceptive as ever. No, you two have disagreed at times. You needn’t worry, she will not be in your way. I am curious, Will, is there anything you remember?”  
Will paused a moment before he replied, 

“Some things. I remember stifling heat and the burning sun. I can remember flashes of green fields and distant melodies. But they aren’t much more than that, small flashes of images when I close my eyes.”

“It is possible you will regain your memories over time. In the meantime, I will tend to your wounds and I have some exercises for your shoulder. There are books in my room that you are welcome to look at whilst we continue our journey.” At that Hannibal got up from the table and started washing the plates, making it clear that he was finished talking to him. 

Will got up from the table and left the kitchen. As he got into the hallway, he saw Chiyoh leave one of the rooms. She looked into his eyes for a few moments before she swiftly walked passed him, up the narrow stairs to the deck. 

Will explored each of the rooms and found a plain bedroom that had books, a small bed, and a bag of clothes. He then looked inside another room which held a bedroom that had not been disturbed. There were clothes in the wardrobe that looked like they belonged to a young woman, although it was clear that they had not been worn and, by the smell, they had been hanging in there for years. He then went into the small bathroom that contained a shower with a selection of shampoos and soaps that all smelled musky, with a hint of lemon. He then looked into the mirror and was shocked to see the face looking back at him. His skin was sallow, with hints of grey under his eyes and there were bruises scattered on the side of his head. He then looked at the angry red wound that sat on his right cheek. It was vivid and inflamed, and Will was able to taste blood when he touched it with his tongue inside his mouth. He quickly splashed cold water on his face before heading back to his own room. When he got inside he saw Hannibal sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand slowly stroking the material by his leg.

“I have brought you some clothes. They will not fit perfectly but they will do until we are able to procure you some more.”

“Thank you. How long until we will be at our destination?”

“Approximately 17 days. Chiyoh is a skilled helmsman, she will get us there safely. I suggest you get some rest, I will wake you when our next meal is ready.” Hannibal stood up and walked past Will to leave the room.

“Hannibal,” the other man paused with his hand on the door handle, “you said that we were friends, right?”

“Yes, Will.”

“So you wouldn’t lie to me?” Will finally turned around to look at Hannibal, but his eyes were firmly fixed on the door.

“No, I would not. Get some sleep, we will talk soon.” At that Hannibal left the door and firmly closed the door behind him. 

He looked at the clothes that had been left in a neatly folded pile on his bed. He took the shirt that lay on the top and changed into it. It fit him perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I miss sassy Will Graham, but he will return! There will be a few chapters in Wills POV but it will mainly be from Hannibal's perspective.


	4. Lacuna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A) I love insecure Hannibal  
> B) I know this comes across as a bit Stockholm Syndromy but it isn’t supposed to be like that! I am using some writing magic to justify these behaviours (which would be incredibly toxic in real life)  
> C) I really struggled with this chapter. I have a better plan for the next one but I needed to put this here to make it clear that Will is not passively letting this happen and Hannibal can sometimes have a moral compass (but normally only where Will Graham is concerned)

The pair had dinner together before each went to their own bed for the night. Will had hesitated, turning towards Hannibal with his mouth open, ready to say something. Hannibal had politely waited for him but Will quickly went into his room, shutting the door firmly behind him. Hannibal turned into his own room for the night. Hannibal sat on the edge of the bed and wondered what the other man was doing in the room next to him. He had not yet decided what to tell Will, if he was going to tell him anything at all. Will had always seen Hannibal. Even before he knew his true nature, he saw him like no other had. He had seen the darkness that Will was capable of and was bereft of the beautiful creature that he had once known. He thought about not telling Will their true nature, keeping him locked away, a life of simplicity where Hannibal could take a job as a psychiatrist somewhere, come home and cook dinner for them. He knew that this could never be the case. He and Will had come too far to not understand each other fully. 

Will had stood with him on the bluff after slaying the dragon, covered in the blood of their first kill together. Hannibal would fall on his knees in sacrifice for no other, he would gladly give himself in to see the unyielding power and savagery once again. He will tell Will who he truly is as soon as he was sure that he would not attempt to leave.

Hannibal’s musings were interrupted by the opening and closing of Will’s door. Hannibal tracked the sound and could hear Will’s light footsteps on the stairs to the deck. Looking at the moon in the sky, Hannibal would guess that it was coming to midnight soon and that Chiyoh would have anchored for the night. He waited until the footsteps had disappeared before he got up from the bed and opened his bedroom door. Walking towards the top deck, Hannibal was quiet and lithe, mirroring the stalking of his prey, as he walked lightly towards the dark shadow that belonged to his personal tormentor, the interloper of his mind. He watched as Will tried to figure out the marine VHF radio that formed part of the intricate control panel of the boat. Hannibal understood very little of the logistics of sailing a ship, but as he watched Will, it was clear that he could remember the actions clearly. After giving him a few moments to try and contact another person with the radio, he quickly stepped forward and grabbed onto his arm, holding him tightly enough to hint at the savagery that he was capable of. In that moment Hannibal was transported back to his kitchen in Baltimore, the sting of Will’s betrayal clinging to his skin the way Freddie’s perfume lingered on Will’s clothes. The sudden flash of hurt made Hannibal recoil from Will, letting go of his arm. Will spun round and stared at him with wide, guilty eyes. 

“What are you doing, Will?” Hannibal’s voice was calm and steady which only increased the fear that permeated from the smaller man. 

“Nothing. I- I couldn’t sleep and wanted to look around,” the weak answer was nearly enough to make Hannibal laugh. No, his Will could not be reduced to such insolence. Will was capable of being rude, but he would not disrespect Hannibal with such blatant lies. 

“Well perhaps we should make our way back to the cabins. It looks as though it is going to rain and we ought not to get our wounds wet whilst they still heal.” With this, Hannibal began walking back to the stairs to take them to the lower level.

“What aren’t you telling me?” The harsh question was enough to make Hannibal turn towards the man. He could discern anger in his tone, but also despair. Looking into his eyes he could see the some of the old Will Graham there, the one who would not stop until he knew all of the answers and Hannibal felt a stab of affection in his chest at the ocean blue eyes. Standing on the deck in the small sliver of moonlight, Will might have been a siren, ready to drag Hannibal underwater to his death. He had allowed himself to be pulled towards the sea once and he would willingly give himself up to the other man again. 

“I have told you everything, Will. You and I will arrive at our new house in approximately 14 days. Until then, we will be staying together on this boat.”

“I am not stupid, Hannibal! I don’t know you, yet you expect me to trust you. You expect me to believe that we were in an accident and are now on our way to Sweden? It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t.” Will started to pace the length of the deck, his hands forming fists at his side. If he concentrated, Hannibal would be able to smell the sickly-sweet scent of desperation on the man. Instead, he took a step forward and placed his hand on Will’s shoulder, pausing there for a second to allow him to look into Hannibal’s eyes, before pulling him close to his chest. Will was tense for a few moments before Hannibal could feel his whole body relax. He didn’t hold him back, but he could feel Will rest his head on his chest, the slow and steady heartbeat the only sound between them in that moment.

“I will tell you everything. However, you have just received a major head injury. It would be unwise to put undue stress on you at this moment. Stay with me, Will. Trust that I know what is best for you.” Hannibal tried to reassure the man who had pulled away and was now pacing the deck as he used to move around his office in Baltimore. 

“Know what is best for me? You won’t even take me to see a doctor! You could have caused this injury for all I know!” Will shouted.

“Will- “

“No. No leave me alone, I want to get off this ship. Would you let me off? Or am I your prisoner?”

Hannibal hesitated a moment. He watched Will as his distress became more pronounced, his hands shaking like he is suffering from one of his fever-induced seizures. Again, Hannibal felt the tug in his chest as he replied, “no, Will. You are not my prisoner. I only want you here on your own volition. When we dock, you are free to leave.”

Will was seemingly reassured by this but continued to look at Hannibal warily. He nodded once, a small jerk of his head, before quickly retreating to the lower deck, passing the slight figure of Chiyoh who was standing on the doorway, roused by the commotion.

“You would let him go? Just like that?” Chiyoh’s voice was soft, affection for the man evident in her voice and eyes, “Does your compassion for him extend so far as to risk him turning you in?”

“He is not my prisoner and I have no intention of keeping him as such. When we fell over the bluff we did so by his own free will, he shall stay with me by his own free will.”

“You have to tell him at some point, you know. He will not stay ignorant forever. You are afraid, Hannibal. You worry that he will leave you again, passively allow the FBI to find you as he is left to pick up the pieces of his life. He is a danger to your freedom, your life, and yet you keep him here out of compassion.”

“Do we not have compassion towards ourselves? He is part of me, our minds inextricably intertwined. I shall not keep him here through coercion, I have no interest in an unwilling consort.”

“Is that how you see him? As a spouse?”

“We made a vow when together we shed blood as a sacrifice to the Dragon. As for now, Chiyoh, you must get some sleep, we will be sailing again come dawn,” Hannibal retreated to his room leaving Chiyoh alone in the pale moonlight. She looked at the moon, only a crescent in the sky and sighed. She walked until she reached the end of the hallway where she knocked on the door. There was a short pause before a small, “come in”. 

Chiyoh entered the room to find Will sitting on the edge of the bed. His head hung forward, quickly glancing at the trespasser before he looked back down, an image of despair and surrender.

“When Orpheus travelled to the underworld to find his love Eurydice; he was warned by Hades- the God of the Underworld- that he should not look back until he had returned to the light above; as if he did so, his love would be lost for eternity. As the lovers approached the end of their journey Orpheus lost faith and turned to look at Eurydice and in doing so, she was taken from him. Hannibal will not lose faith in you, Will. However, he would face being torn from you forever if you did not trust him. If you refused to follow him into the light, he would let you go. 

Will stared at her for a moment before asking, “what happened to Orpheus when he lost Eurydice?” 

“He called for death in order to be united with his love,” with that Chiyoh left the room, the boat silent under the crescent moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chiyoh is sick of being a couples counsellor, and I don’t blame her when it comes to these two!


	5. Mariana

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is a reference to the poem 'Mariana' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson!

Hannibal softly knocked at Will’s door and waited patiently for an answer. He had not spoken to him since he had caught the other man trying to use the radio to contact outsiders. Upon being confronted by Hannibal, Will had panicked and become distressed, causing Hannibal’s chest to ache, a dull pain between his ribs as he regarded the man who considered himself captive. It had taken all of his self-control not to seek out the other man and provide him comfort as he knew that this would have been unwelcome. Now, Hannibal stood at his door with a cup of coffee and a plate with fresh bread and jam preservative.

After a few moments the door opened, and Hannibal was face-to-face with Will. The man’s features did not reveal any emotions, although he stepped back to allow him to enter his room. 

“I thought you might want food,” Hannibal said as set the plate down on the nightstand, “I also believe that I should change the dressing on your wounds and check that they are healing well.”

“Uh yeah- yes. Sure,” Will sat on the edge of the bed and allowed Hannibal to gently peel the gauze from the wound on his cheek. There was a small amount of discharge, but nothing to signify infection.

“I will return in a moment. I will retrieve the first-aid kit so I can clean the wound,” at that Hannibal left the room but returned no more than a minute later with a large box. He opened the box to reveal a well-stocked medical kit that he had prepared for this eventuality. Hannibal took out cleaning fluid and poured some on cotton wool. He then placed it on Will’s cheek, eliciting a hiss. Happy with what he saw, Hannibal then went to examine his skull, pressing lightly to check if there was any tenderness or blood. Will watched him while he continued his ministrations, his eyes missing nothing of the other man’s actions. It was after Hannibal had checked his pupils that he finally spoke,

“So you really are a doctor?”

Hannibal let out a soft laugh as he replied, “Yes, Will. I was a surgeon before I transferred my talents to psychiatry. That is how we met.”

“I was a doctor too?”

“No. You were my patient. Informally at least. You were a police officer before you become a Special Investigator for the FBI. I helped you form profiles of criminals.” Hannibal continued to touch Will the entire time he spoke, the other man allowing him to do so with no protest. 

“I was your patient? Why did I need a psychiatrist?”

“You would become overwhelmed by the crime scenes and needed someone to anchor you. I would help guide you when you would feel yourself slipping.”

“And why are we here now? On a boat heading towards Sweden? I may not be able to remember anything of my life but I don’t feel like I’m the type to run away with my psychiatrist.” Hannibal smiled at the comment, Will’s dry humour unaffected by his injuries.

“We had conversations and became friendly. There was a point in time that I considered you the most important person in my life. I assure you we are friends and that I know you very well. You will begin to learn about me and over time we will resume our friendship. For now, take things slowly. You are recovering emotionally and physically from a traumatic event.” Will nodded and reached for the plate that was still sitting on the nightstand. He was stopped, however, by pain in his arm and he let out a small shout at the gesture.

“My shoulder, I have had some issues with it. It’s nothing.”

“May I take a look? To check that there is no obvious damage,” Will hesitated a moment before giving a quick nod, his eyes unable to meet Hannibal’s due to their close proximity, “If you will, please remove your shirt so I can fully assess the damage.”

Hannibal watched as Will took off the plain white button down that he had given him the previous evening. He took in the sight of the pale skin and basked in the trust that the other man was giving him. It reminded him of the first time that they had eaten together, in a small dark hotel room, Will clad in only a t-shirt and underwear. During their sessions, Hannibal had spent most of the time watching Will as he paced, mentally sizing him up and questioning how much strength he really possessed. He wondered if he would be able to match Hannibal in a battle of fists. He would have the advantage of a slimmer frame; his lithe body would bend beautifully under pressure. He wondered what he would look like pressed beneath him or straddling him, taking from Hannibal what he wanted. Hannibal forced himself to return to his task and began to assess the damage of his shoulder. The first touch of his hands made Will jump but the other man quickly relaxed under his administrations. He applied pressure to the sore muscle until he heard a small groan of pain that was interrupted by a moan of pleasure. His hands stopped suddenly, worried that he was pushing Will too far, risking him becoming uncomfortable. Will, who was sat on the edge of the bed beside Hannibal turned around to look at him, his striking blue eyes wide. Neither man moved despite their close proximity, content in examining each other. 

“Were we…just friends, Hannibal?” Will seemed almost nervous to ask the question but nevertheless maintained eye contact.

“Friendship seems a reductive title for what we were. Our relationship was not defined by normal social boundaries or expectations.” 

“So we were not together? Romantically I mean?”

“No, Will.” He replied softly, affection prickling under his skin.

“Did you want us to be?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“You look at me. All the time and Chiyoh…she said something that made it seem like you cared for me”. Hannibal tilted his head at that and resolved to speak with the woman later on. 

“My compassion for you extends further than friendship, Will. Love does not adequately describe the all-encompassing need to have you near me. I have seldom seen a mind like yours, even now as it scrambles to hold on to any memory it has, it remains as perceptive as ever, inquisitive, and quick. I have given up far more than you could ever know, just so I could call you my equal. I would sacrifice much more to be given the chance to fall down and commune with you.”

“You’re not lying to me, are you Hannibal?” The question was soft, almost rhetorical in its acceptance. 

“No, Will I am not,” Hannibal stood up from the bed and took a step back, a figurative glass boundary again placed between them, “if there is anything you need, Will, I will be in the kitchen. I will prepare a meal later if you would join me.”

“Yeah. Yeah sure, I’ll see you later.” The man was overwhelmed; sat shirtless on the bed he looked like David, but Michelangelo himself could not comprehend the beauty in front of him, an unworldly being that seemed almost impossible. Hannibal’s ultimate downfall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any and all comments are appreciated!


	6. Olympia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Hannibal is only human after all.

The next week passed in much the same way. Hannibal and Will would dine together before Hannibal would tend to Will’s injuries. They would talk but failed to go into detail about their past life. Chiyoh would steer the ship during most of the day, Hannibal taking over in the evening. When they finally arrived in Sweden there was a car waiting for them at the dockyard. Chiyoh had commissioned transport for them as well as deliveries of food so the kitchen of the safe house would be well-stocked. They all got into the car and Hannibal drove them along winding roads, hours passed before they reached their house in Skellefteå. The house was smaller than Hannibal was used to, but that did not matter to him. He had inhabited a glass cage for the last three years and the freedom he felt now was liberating. Living in this house with Will would compensate for the lack of size.

The two men carried the sparse luggage to the house, Hannibal unconcerned about the clothes on the boat as he would procure some more for Will and himself. As soon as he could, he would take a trip to the nearest town to buy supplies. He thought about all of the dishes he could make for Will now that there would be fresh ingredients. He would also get art supplies for himself and fishing equipment for Will. The house was already well-stocked with books and clothes, but he would take Will out so he could choose clothing that suited his taste. 

“This is where I leave you,” Hannibal turned around at the soft voice of Chiyoh. The woman was inscrutable as always, her eyes tracking Will’s movements as he looked around the house. She lowered her voice so that only Hannibal would hear her next words, “Are you sure that you are making the right choice?”

Hannibal turned to see Will running his hand along the wood panels of the house, a small smile on his face, “Yes. We will stay here until we are fully recovered. Then, we can move onto whether we please. Perhaps somewhere warm.”

“Everything you need is in the trunk of the car. Passports and money. I am not concerned about your finances though; your ruin will come in the shape of Will Graham.”

“Perhaps so. What about you, where will you go from here?”

“I am free to go anywhere. As you said before, I relinquished all responsibilities. I will find a home for myself. I will see you again, a watchman cannot give up their care so easily.”

“My dear Chiyoh, I am honoured to have you watching over me. My own guardian angel.” Hannibal embraced his old friend before she abruptly turned around and walked down the snowy path, her jet-black hair the last thing that he saw of her before being consumed by the snow-covered trees. Hannibal turned towards the house to find Will watching him, an unreadable expression on his face. He regarded the man for a moment before making his way inside the house, all the while the soft footsteps of Will Graham following behind him. 

“We can put our bags in the bedrooms. I will show you around before we begin our cleaning.” The two men made their way up the stairs, each with a bag of clothes in their hands. Hannibal led the way down the hallway until he reached the first door. 

“You can choose which room you would like. This one looks over the lake whereas the other has a view of the trees.”

“The lake, please. If that’s alright with you?”

“Of course, make yourself at home. I will make my way downstairs and begin taking inventory of our food. We can take a trip to the nearest town to buy clothes. Perhaps tomorrow when we have settled in.”

“It’s cold Hannibal. Is there any heating?”

“There is a fireplace, but I’m afraid there will be no firewood at the moment. I admit I have not visited this house in a number of years.” 

“I can cut some wood from the trees. Surely there is an axe or something in this house?”

“Will. I do not think it is the best idea to allow you to do that. Your shoulder is only just healing. We will be fine tonight and tomorrow we can buy firewood.”

“Hannibal. My shoulder has healed well. It will be fine, and I don’t think I can wait until tomorrow, it is freezing here.” Hannibal thought of all the summers Will had spent in Louisiana with his father. He thought about a young Will Graham wearing loose t-shirts but tenacious sweat clinging onto his body regardless. After a moment he conceded, 

“Okay. I will get you what you need. As long as you don’t push yourself and aggravate your injuries.”

“I won’t,” Will gave Hannibal a beaming smile, far more relaxed than he had ever seen him. Hannibal’s hands itched to reach out and touch the other man, feel the smile and the way his lips would stretch across his teeth, the same teeth that had ripped Cordell’s flesh. The dark red blood had been striking against his pale skin and Hannibal could not have contained his smile at that moment. Seeing Will give in to the darkness was exhilarating, he only hoped that he would see it again.

After Hannibal had given him what he needed, Will left to explore the house further and Hannibal made his way into his new bedroom. The furniture was covered in sheets and Hannibal started by uncovering everything and wiping away the layer of dust that had settled. He had bought this house a few months after he had met Will. Although he had not envisioned living with him when he bought it, he had assumed they would have lived here at some point. He did not guess, however, that he would be in the bedroom on his own, a wall between them. Hannibal sighed and went to the window. He could see Will walking through the trees and holding an axe in his hand. He touched one of the trees, feeling how sturdy it was before he began hacking at it, strong blows that were only slightly hindered by the injury in his shoulder. 

As Hannibal watched Will he began to feel his skin prickle, the sight of Will enough to make his blood pump harder and warmth flow through his cheeks. He quickly retreated from the window, forcing himself to look away from the beautiful sight. Hannibal knew he had to control his desires for fear of pushing Will too far. They were standing on the precipice, one push enough to send Will over the edge. He was lucky that Will was trusting him enough to be there, completely free from obligations or knowledge. It is ironic, Hannibal supposes, that for the first time Will Graham was free of the voices in his head making him catch monsters. Free from the empathy that sucked the life from him, drowning him in the thoughts and feelings of others. He stood in the land surrounding the house and was calm, free from all the worry, all the while residing with the worst monster of all. 

-X-

“Where are you from?” Hannibal was taken aback by the question, so mundane in the grand scheme of things. 

“Lithuania originally. However, I have lived in a variety of places such as Italy, France, and Japan. I spent much of my youth travelling to different places.”

“Rich family then?” The question wasn’t hostile, but it gave Hannibal pause. 

“In a sense, yes. I lost my family at a young age and lived with my Aunt after their deaths.” Will looked shocked and slightly ashamed at the admission.

“I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“You worry too much Will. Come, I have something to show you.” Hannibal led him to the living room area and to the far wall. He opened the top of a rectangle box to show a record player. He lifted one of the records that were stacked beside it and placed it on the top. When he dropped the needle, soft piano notes filled the air. He took in the music for a few moments before turning to Will. 

“You will find a variety of records here, hopefully, some appealing to your tastes. Please feel free to make use of it. Music can have extremely beneficial effects on brain function.”

“Thank you, I will,” Will lifted his hands and stroked a finger along the spines of each record, taking in the names of the artists. He then turned to the bookshelf and explored all of the titles on the shelf. Not all of them were in English and Hannibal could see Will digest that information. Will paused and picked up a book, opening the front cover. Hannibal could make out the opening lines and knew he had picked up a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo. Will took in the words but paused long enough for Hannibal to look at him inquisitively.

“Sorry, I just- I feel like I know this. Like it is something from a dream I had that I can’t fully remember.” Will’s voice was curious like he was pondering a crime scene, searching for a motive. 

“Do not stress yourself, Will. Your memories will come in time. For now, we will continue stretching your shoulder to minimise future stiffness. If you will-“ Hannibal gestured towards the sofa and Will followed, sitting up straight in preparation for the other man’s touch, “Have you experienced much pain?”

“It hasn’t been too bad. I've done the stretches you taught me every morning and I am only taking pain medication once a day.” Will leaned back so that his back was flush against Hannibal’s chest. Hannibal had both hands on his shoulder, his grip tight as he rotated the joint. He then lifted Will’s arm above his head and assessed his range of motion, happy with what he saw. Will let out a sigh, the sound music to Hannibal’s ears. It was soft but it flooded Hannibal’s veins with molten. Hannibal had never seen Will be free with his body, completely receptive to touch and proximity. The old Will would have resisted Hannibal’s efforts, insisting he did not need help. Here, sat a few inches in front of him, Will was pliable and open, letting Hannibal’s hands freely roam the landscape of his body. It took all of his self-control to keep himself away from Will, the magnetic pull overpowering. He wanted nothing more than to capture his lips with his own, tangling his body around his until they were unable to separate. As Hannibal movements stopped, Will turned around, a content expression on his face as he said, “Thank you. I feel much better. I’ll chop some more wood before dinner if that’s okay?"

“Of course. I’ll call you when it’s ready,” if Will noticed the slight strain in his voice, he did not mention it. As Hannibal watched him leave the room, he let his head fall back, the smell of the empath enveloping him. He stayed there for a few moments before he quickly rose and made his way to the bathroom, stripping himself of his minimal clothes. Once he was naked, he let out a long breath and turned the shower on. Stepping inside he immediately felt the heat rising in his veins, his cock hard and leaking. Hannibal was left utterly desperate from the brief contact with Will. His presence was enough to feed his lust and the strong urge to possess Will and be possessed in turn. 

Hannibal allowed his hand to stray down his body before taking himself in hand. Over the past three years whilst being incarcerated he had not allowed himself this pleasure, acutely aware of the eyes that were on him at all times. Now, he allowed each stroke that only helped fuel the fire more. He closed his eyes and thought of Will, the man’s body pressed against his own and the heat he radiated. He imagined what it would be like for Will to kiss him, the perfect bow-shaped lips against his. He had seen his naked body when he had first cleaned their wounds. The pale skin would look magnificent pressed underneath him, with red marks blooming down his neck and chest as Hannibal adored him. He continued stroking himself, leaking profusely now, as he swiped his thumb over the head of his cock. He let out a small moan, mindful that Will could enter the cabin at any moment. 

As he felt himself get closer to the edge, he wondered what Will would do when he pressed inside him, the sounds that he would make. Hannibal wanted to hear more of the small moans and sighs that he was privy to when he pressed against the tender muscles in his shoulder. His hand sped up as he thought about the heat that would surround him as he pressed inside the other man. It was that thought that pushed him over the edge, letting out an aborted shout as he came into his hand, the water washing it away instantly. 

-X-

Hannibal was laying on his bed, not yet fallen asleep when he first heard the noise. It came as a low groan that abruptly ended with a hitch of breath. He got up from the bed just as he heard a distressed “No!” come from the other room. He made his way out of his room and walked to the door leading to Will’s bedroom. He paused for a moment, listening outside the door, and finally opened it when he heard the pained moans that permeated the otherwise silent night. 

Upon opening the door Hannibal could make out the writhing figure of Will, sheets bunched around his legs where they had been kicked off. He made his way to the bed, where Will continued to let out tortured noises. He placed a hand on Will’s shoulder, lightly at first and then with more pressure when it failed to rouse him from his troubled sleep. 

“Will. Will, wake up,” Hannibal called lightly. As he went to call out his name another time, Will suddenly sat up, arms flying out to defend himself against the unknown trespasser. His hand connected with Hannibal’s cheek, pain blooming almost instantly. Hannibal did not flinch as he held Will’s arms down and used soft, reassuring words. A few moments passed before Will was completely lucid and immediately his eyes widened, and a look of fear came across his face,

“Fuck. Hannibal I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, are you hurt?”

“Don’t apologise Will. I am fine.” His cheek hurt and he was sure that it would be warm to the touch, but Hannibal had his fair share of pain and was able to endure much more. Will scrambled to get on his knees, taking Hannibal’s face in his hands. Hannibal closed his eyes at the contact, Will’s hands softly caressing his face. The movements stopped and after a few moments of stillness, Hannibal opened his eyes to find Will’s face a mere two inches from his. Will’s eyes did not meet his, however, as they were steadily trained on Hannibal’s lips. They stayed like that for a few moments before Will pulled back, his eyes darting around the room, landing everywhere except on Hannibal.

“Did you have a nightmare Will?”

“Yeah. It was weird I dreamt- I dreamt that I was dying and you were standing over me. I don’t know why,” Will was now looking at Hannibal again, the intimate moment having come to an end. 

“Is this the first nightmare you have had?”

“Yes. But I haven’t been sleeping well.”

“I regret to tell you that this is normal for you. You suffered from nightmares the entire time you were under my care. We can talk about it in more depth if you would like?” Hannibal was still sitting on the edge of the bed, a mere foot from Will who was still sat on his knees. 

“Maybe, but not right now. I think I need to lay down. I’m sorry if I disturbed you.”

“I was awake regardless. If you need anything, please let me know”. Hannibal stood from the bed and made his way to the door. He only paused when he heard Will say in a small voice,

“Thank you, Hannibal.” Hannibal turned towards him and gave him a smile before he left the bedroom.


	7. Tabula Rasa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was not happy with this chapter but found that I am too tired and ill to write anything better at the moment. As I had already written it I thought I would publish it. I hope to make to next chapter better and feel less rushed!

Hannibal woke up to find that Will’s door was already open. Glancing into the room, it was clear that Will wasn’t in there. He made his way into the kitchen to find that the coffee pot was hot, indicating that he had been there recently. It was then that Hannibal heard the soft notes of music and he followed them to find Will sitting on the sofa in the living room, a cup of coffee in hand, wearing only a pair of pyjama bottoms. His pale skin was lovely, as his chest rose and fell with each breath. Will turned around and smiled at Hannibal whilst lifting up his cup of coffee,

“I left you a cup. Hopefully it’s still warm,” Hannibal could not resist the soft smile he gave him, affection evident in his eyes. The sight was enough to make Hannibal’s chest tighten, suddenly sorrowful that this was a lie. The domestic picture was built on Will’s false sense of security, one that Hannibal built for his own gain. 

“Yes. Thank you, Will. That was very thoughtful of you.”

“Where did your friend go? Chiyoh?” Will always had a way of keeping Hannibal on the edge, unsure of what his brain will conjure up at that moment. 

“She had to leave. She has a home.”

“You are close,” it wasn’t a question, “Are you lovers?” Hannibal sat on the other end of the sofa and looked at Will. It was clear that he had been awake for a while and most likely had been waiting to seek answers from him. 

“No. we grew up together. Following the death of my parents, I went to live with my Aunt and Uncle. She would wait on my Aunt.”

“What about me? Where is my family? I assume you'd know as you were my psychiatrist.”

“Your father died when you were a teenager. Your mother was never a topic of conversation for us. We rarely delved into our childhoods as the present often posed a more important task for us to tackle.” Hannibal felt a twinge of guilt for not mentioning Abigail, but he knew that he could not push Will too far at this moment. 

“Hannibal… can I ask you something? And I’d really like it if you were honest with me,” Will’s voice was tentative at first but quickly gained confidence. 

“Of course. I will endeavour to answer your questions as honestly as the situation will allow me.”

“That is it. What is this situation? Why haven’t we contacted anyone else since being here? Chiyoh brought us here and left rather quickly. I haven’t seen another person, nor have I seen anything to contact another person with. There is a reason why you don’t want me to see anyone else. I know the wound on my face is ugly but I’m sure I don’t look that much like a monster.” Will’s voice was glaringly calm. Hannibal was unable to detect any distress or fear; in fact, as he looked at Will, with a cup of coffee in his hand, slouched on the sofa listening to soft jazz music, he would assume that he was happy. 

“I am concerned you will panic and aggravate your injuries if I tell you. If you would like to leave, I promise you I will not follow you.”

“I don’t want to leave. Not when I find you interesting. However, I feel like I deserve some honestly,” Will placed his cup on the table and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, “Who are we hiding from?”

“We are wanted for crimes. I will not say what for now. But this is in your best interest,” Will’s expression morphed into one of curiosity, an eyebrow lifting and his lips turning down slightly.

“Is that how I got this?” Will asked pointing to the wound in his cheek that was still red but had recovered nicely, “Also, I assume the crimes must be bad considering the lengths you have gone to take us from the US.”

“Yes, we were attacked. And somewhat bad, depending on who you ask. We are safe here; it is a small town and there is nothing to link us here,” Hannibal watched as Will digested this information before adding, “In the meantime, I believe it would do us good to go into the town to gather some supplies. We will be able to procure some new clothes whilst we are there. There is a winter coat in the closet by the door that you are welcome to use. We will leave whenever you are ready.”

Hannibal had grown out his beard in the weeks that they had travelled to Sweden and his hair sat longer than usual, meaning there was less chance that someone would recognise him. He was not as worried about Will being recognised as his image had not been published as much outside the US. Apart from Freddie Lounds, few media outlets had placed any blame on Will, instead believing him to be an innocent bystander caught up with a monster. 

“Sounds good. I’ll just have to get changed and then I’ll be ready.” Will left the room and Hannibal lifted the needle of the record player, the music stopping instantly.  
He emerged a few minutes later in a pair of black trousers and a black button-down shirt. The dark clothing contrasted beautifully with Will’s pale skin, something Hannibal had considered when he had bought them. Both of the men made their way to the front door, each taking a thick winter coat with them as they made their way to the car. The car was relatively nondescript, especially compared to his Bentley, but Hannibal supposed that it would do well to keep a low profile whilst the media was still focused on him. 

They drove to the nearest town, a journey that lasted approximately 30 minutes, and were welcomed by the bustling movements of local people. Hannibal and Will made their way up the street and stopped in a number of stores. Will chose some more records and Hannibal picked up a sketchbook and materials. He also surreptitiously picked up a book about amnesia and an anatomy textbook. He was curious if Will would have any reaction whilst looking at pictures of the corpses, any flashes of his past life coming to the forefront when confronted by the gruesome images. 

As they walked along the road Will suddenly stopped. As Hannibal came to stop by him, he followed his line of vision to see that Will was staring wide-eyed at a pack of dogs that were being walked on a lead. Before Hannibal knew it, Will had moved forward, reaching his hand out to pet the dogs.

“Are they friendly?” Will asked the owner, who stared back in confusion. Hannibal repeated the question in Swedish and the young women gave a bright smile, saying that he was free to stroke the dogs. She and Hannibal exchanged pleasantries as Will took the time to run his fingers through the fur on each dog. As he spoke to the women, he was unable to focus as he was fully enraptured by the child-like smile on Will’s face. The way he tilted his head back to laugh as the dogs sniffed him with their wet noses. Hannibal felt the all too familiar ache in his chest as he watched Will. 

“Come, Will. We must get going. It was nice meeting you.” Hannibal added in Swedish to the women who gave him one last smile before she left.

Hannibal turned to look at Will to find that he still smiled, the movement tugging slightly at his cheek where his beard did not cover the wound. The two men made their way through the street, stopping when they reached a shop that held fishing and outdoor equipment.

“You were very fond of fishing. I thought perhaps you could fish in the nearby lake and see if you find it beneficial,” Hannibal said to Will who was demurely inspecting the tackle hanging from the door of the shop. 

“Yes, thank you. What can I get?”

“Anything you want, Will.” Will stared at him for a moment before he picked up a fishing rod before looking at the price. He was obviously shocked at what he saw as he went to put it back. He was stopped, however, by Hannibal’s hand, which he placed on top of Will’s.

“Please, Will.”

“Okay.” Will still hesitated for a moment before he started to look at the other items in the shop. He picked up some boots and waders, some lures and bait. When he was satisfied, he carried all of the items to the till. There was still a look of worry on his face, cautious of buying too much. Hannibal did not listen to the clerk when they told him the price, merely placed down a credit card whilst he looked at Will. The two men stared at each other and Hannibal felt a thrill at being able to provide for Will. 

When they were done they left the shop whilst carrying all that they had bought that day. They made their way back to the car and placed all of it in the trunk. When they had done that, Will turned towards Hannibal and said, 

“Thank you. Are you sure that it is no problem for me to buy these things?”

“I assure you, Will. Money is not a concern to us. You are free to buy whatever you like.”

They made their way back to the house in silence. Will unloaded the car as Hannibal started making them lunch. They sat together at the table and talked about their plans for the rest of the day.

“I will begin cleaning the house. Although it was kept in good condition, some dust has settled. I will also make a fire, it is due to become colder tonight.” Hannibal told Will.

“I can help you… if you want?”

“Of course, though you will need to be cautious of your shoulder.” Both men rose from the table and took their dishes to the sink to wash. They stood side-by-side as Hannibal washed the plates and Will dried them. They then made their way into the living room, where Hannibal picked up some cloths they had bought in town. The men began wiping down all of the surfaces in silence. Hannibal was aware of the younger man staring at him while they worked. Every once and a while Will turned towards Hannibal, meaning to say something before he quickly turned back around. 

“Is there something on your mind Will?”

“What was the worst thing I did?”

“I assume you are talking about the aforementioned crimes?”

“Yeah.” Hannibal hesitated. He could tell Will the whole truth, prove it to him and keep him locked away, unable to contact the FBI or Molly and his son. He also considered keeping the truth from him, but the image of him covered in blood in the moonlight came to the forefront of his mind. 

“We killed someone,” As Hannibal said it, Will’s eyebrows flew up, his surprise evident on his face, “It was in self-defence, he attacked us. However, not everyone would see it that way.”

“Is… is he the only person I have killed?”

“No, he is not. Again, it was in self-defence. One of the murderers you were profiling attacked you.”

“So I have killed multiple people? What about you?” Will’s voice conveyed disbelief, exasperation, and caution. It was clear that Will was sceptical of Hannibal and what he claimed to be true.

"This is perhaps a conversation we should have at a better time."

"Better- what do you mean a better time? Why not now?"

“Will-“

“No! No, Hannibal! Tell me the truth, what am I doing here? Why are we hiding? You have to tell me the truth sometime”

“I can’t.” For the first time, Hannibal was unsure of what to do. Will looked resigned, his eyes became wet as he stared at him. Hannibal’s heart ached as he took in the sight of Will. He had seen Will mad at him, wary of him, laugh with him. But he had never seen Will sad and it took all of Hannibal’s self-control to stop himself from reaching for the other man.

“I don’t remember anything. You are the only thing I have, Hannibal, and I don’t even know you. I have to rely on you for everything and you stand there and expect me to go along with no information. I could have left today, run away and asked someone to take me to a hospital but I didn’t. I didn’t because I have to trust you. I thought I could trust you.” Will didn’t wait for a reply before throwing down the cloth that was still in his hand and making his way into his room. The slamming of the door was nearly enough to make Hannibal jump.

Hannibal stood in the middle of the room alone. He picked up the discarded cloth and placed it on the table then made his way to the desk that sat underneath the window. He took a deep breath before deciding what he was going to do. 

\--X—

Hannibal was sitting at the kitchen table when Will finally came out of his bedroom. He stood up when Will entered and gave him a large envelope and a folded piece of paper. 

“Will, this is for you. It is a full written confession, detailing all my acts and informs the FBI that I held you here against your will. It should be enough to clear you of all responsibility and allow you to go back to your old life. There is also enough money to allow you to leave and travel back to the US. Forgive me for being rude, but I will not be able to assist your departure as it would be best for me to remain hidden at this moment.”

“Why are you doing this?” Will asked with the envelope and note in his hand. He regarded them for a moment before he looked back up at Hannibal. 

“You are a free man, Will. There are no monsters to hold you captive in your mind, no moral compass to break you down. You could start again.”

“Why don’t you tell me what we did? Who exactly I am and who you are? Why are you forcing me away?”

“Because Will. I cannot hold you here. For the last five years you and I have been intertwined. I have given you all that I possessed, allowed you to take everything from me. To say that I love you would be reductive. I cannot live without you. However, you do not know me. When you emerged from the ocean you emerged as someone else, a man who has been given the gift of a clean slate. My compassion for you no longer allows me to watch you suffer, I forgave you a long time ago, as you forgave me.”

Will did not respond but looked into Hannibal’s eyes. He could see that Will was digesting the information, considering his next actions, He again looked at the letter but did not open it, looking slightly pained at the offending piece of paper. He slowly turned around and walked towards the raging fire. For a moment, Hannibal was reminded of the scene in his office years before. The two men had burned pages of his notebooks in preparation for running away together. Now, there was no manipulation on Will’s behalf, no betrayal. He watched as Will dropped the paper into the fire and whilst doing so, kept his eyes locked onto Hannibal’s. 

“Where could I go, Hannibal? I don’t know anyone, everything I know is from you. This is the only life I know,” He turned away from the fire and walked up to Hannibal, stopping a foot away from him, “Please don’t let me regret my decision.”

“You won’t.” Hannibal’s voice held more conviction than he had ever allowed. He placed one hand on Will’s cheek, a mirror image of that night in his kitchen, so long ago, a night that Will does not remember. Only this time, Will was agreeing to a life with him instead of rejecting him. 

They stayed like that for a few moments before Will took a step back and asked, “What’s for dinner?”

“Roast lamb. I shall begin preparing it.” Will followed him to the kitchen and sat at the work counter as Hannibal began preparing the food. Hannibal outlined the method for chopping the meat and vegetables whilst Will listened intently. He directed Will to pour them both a glass of wine, allowing Will to choose which bottle he wanted. Hannibal could see Will consider him and he allowed him to continue without interruption. When he finally looked up to tell him that the meat would need to go into the oven, he caught Will swiping his tongue over his lower lip. The act caused Hannibal’s blood to rush through his veins and heat to overcome his entire body. He was enraptured by the action and when Will lifted his eyes to look at him, his pupils were dilated. Will let out a small cough and looked away, effectively breaking the moment and said, 

“Food smells good. I’m going to grab my book. I’ll be back in a second,” As he quickly retreated from the room, leaving Hannibal alone.

He considered that Will had chosen him. The letter had outlined all of his crimes, allowing Will to find out the truth had he read it. Instead, he chose to fully trust Hannibal and throw it away. It was the first time that someone had put that amount of trust in him since Misha and Hannibal felt his chest tighten at the thought. The younger man, who had been robbed of his memory currently stood in the same house as the FBI’s most wanted, completely unaware of the danger he posed. Hannibal resolved that he would tell Will everything, as soon as the opportune moment arrived. 

Will returned to the kitchen as he began preparing the sauce, he sat back down at the counter and watched Hannibal as he stirred the blood-red liquid.

“You love me.” It wasn’t a question and Hannibal did not look up from his task when he replied,

“Indeed.”

“Why?” At this Hannibal did look at Will, he carefully lay his spoon down as he regarded the younger man.

“There are many reasons, far too many to say now. I will say that since the moment I met you I have considered you my equal, one with whom I can show my true self. You understood me, Will.”

“And now?”

“You haven’t changed so much since your injury. You needn’t worry Will, your place in this house is not contingent on your feelings for me. I do not expect you to reciprocate my love, although would I be too forward to consider you a friend?”

“You’re the only one I got. And suspect that I am your only friend too.”

“You wouldn’t be incorrect. As I said, I consider you my equal.”

“And not others?”

“No. Other people are often too focused on what they consider right and wrong. Too preoccupied with mundane concerns such as what is fashionable and what others think of them.”

Will let out a laugh at this, “Are you saying that everyone else is an idiot?”

Hannibal could not contain a small breath of laugher as he replied, “Not entirely, I am, however, suggesting that our priorities often do not coincide.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the oven timer. Hannibal took the lamb out and began preparing the plates. He finished by pouring the red wine sauce on top. He then placed a plate in front of each of their chairs and gestured for Will to sit down. The men ate in companionable silence, sharing small smiles over their food and glasses. When they finished, they cleaned everything and put them in their rightful place. They then retired to the library where each took up a book to read. 

Will had sat next to Hannibal, rather than on the other side of the sofa and Hannibal couldn’t help but be aware of the heat radiating off of his body. The fire still roared, basking them in warmth and allowing them to see each other in the low red light. Hannibal took very little notice of the book in his hand, instead content to feel Will next to him. After an hour or so had passed, Will closed his book and stood up.

“I’m heading to bed. How about you?”

“I will follow you as soon as I have put the fire out.” Will nodded and made his way to the bathroom. Hannibal could hear the shower start as he made his way to his own bedroom. Once in there, he began to change into a pair of black pyjama bottoms and made his way to the bathroom. Will had just emerged in a towel with a billow of steam behind him and Hannibal allowed himself to take in the sight before regaining his composure. Will had noticed the look and smirked at him as he continued to his room. 

Once Hannibal had brushed his teeth he went back into his bedroom and was about the lay down when there was a small knock on the door.

“Come in.” He said softly. The door opened slowly to the image of Will in a loose pair of pyjama trousers. 

“Goodnight, Hannibal.” 

“Goodnight, Will.” He remained in the doorway, his mouth opening and closing a few times as if there was something else he wanted to say. Instead, a fleeting look of frustration came across his features before he turned and closed the door, leaving Hannibal alone in the room. Hannibal could hear him close his own bedroom door, leaving only the sound of the wind outside his window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments give me life and kudos make me smile.
> 
> Next chapter does contain discussion of scars and injuries. Typical stuff you'll see in the Hannibal fandom but if it's not your thing then you might want to watch out.


	8. Peitho

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to split this chapter to save it from being too long. The next chapter is one of the fluffiest (quite literally in this case) thing I have ever written. Hope you guys enjoy it!

“What is that?” Hannibal turned at the voice from the doorway to his bedroom. He had gone to his room to change his shirt and had left the door open, not expecting Will to follow him.

“That is a brand. We have an old friend to thank for that.”

“A…brand?”

“Yes, he owed a pig farm and wished to mark me like one of his animals.”

“Wow. And what did you do to deserve that?”

“I assure you, the mark I left on him was far more covert.” Hannibal couldn’t help but smile at the memory of Mason Verger’s disfigured face. The only thing that he lamented was being unable to kill him himself for trying to cut Will’s face off. 

“I have been meaning to ask you about that… you say you know me well?”

“Yes Will, I know many of the details of your life.”

“Then can you explain some of my scars to me? I was looking at myself in the mirror and I noticed that my body is covered in old scars."

“Of course, Will. Which ones have you noticed?”

“Well there’s a scar on my shoulder, below the fresh wound. Long and straight.”

“Ah you were stabbed whilst you worked as a police officer in Louisiana.”

“And you didn’t know me then?”

“No. I did not have the pleasure of meeting you until many years later.”

“Okay. What about this?” Will pointed at the small scar that ran vertically on Will’s forehead, almost always hidden behind his chocolate curls. 

“That was a result of an unfortunate misunderstanding. As well as some irrationality on my part.”

“What happened?”

“We had a disagreement. It ended in me leaving a physical mark on you. For your part, you left an emotional scar.”

Will didn’t answer for a moment before he nodded and then asked, “What about this?” lifting up his shirt, Hannibal was able to see the silver smile that spread across his stomach. The mark truly was beautiful, fitting Will’s skin and leaving Hannibal a pleasantly warm feeling inside his chest.

“Again, a disagreement. You and I have always left our marks on the other. Some more prominent than others.”

“So you did this to me?” Curiously, Will did not sound afraid or angry at the knowledge that it was Hannibal who had marked him. Remarkable boy.

“…Yes. Perhaps one of the things that I regret. Not the mark in itself, it suits you well. Instead, I regret how we came to that place. We both left marks on each other that day. Again, mine were physical, yours were emotional.”

“What did I do?”

“You did what you believed to be right. These scars were made a long time ago, a lifetime for some. And certainly for us.”

“Do you intend to mark me again?” Hannibal took pride in his ability to remain calm, but at Will’s question he could feel his blood pump faster and his heart speed up. Hannibal still stood shirtless in his room and Will’s eyes were fixed on his chest. Hannibal watched as Will slowly lifted up his hand and gently placed his index finger on a small, pale scar on Hannibal’s chest. It was small, no more than half an inch long, but it was still visible, juxtaposed with tan skin. Hannibal’s breath caught in his throat and Will finally looked up at him. His eyes were dilated, black invading blue like an oil spill in the ocean. It took Hannibal a moment to recollect himself to reply, “A memory from my childhood. I had a family, once. A sister. Who was killed by some men at a young age. I sustained this as I tried to keep them away.”

“I…I am sorry Hannibal. I didn’t know,” Will’s hand now lay flat on his chest, covering the small mark, “what happened to the men who killed your sister?”

Hannibal was once again caught off guard by the question and debated with himself for a moment. In the end, honesty won. A rare occurrence, “I killed them.”

Will absently minded nodded his head, his eyes once again returning to his chest. “Would you do it again?”

“Yes.”

“Would you stab me again?”

“You are in no danger here Will. I have no intentions of hurting you.”

“Were you in pain?” Will asked him. 

Hannibal tilted his head “When?”

“When you stabbed me.”

“Yes.”

“I can tell. When I look at this, I see…sadness. Anger.” Hannibal wondered whether it was possible for him to fall more in love with Will Graham, “And this?” Will asked pointing to the bandage that still covered his gunshot wound.

“A minor injury I sustained recently. Nothing to be concerned about.”

“Do you have any other scars?”

“You have left your own mark on me, Will. Here-” Hannibal turned over his hand so that the silver scars were visible to Will. Will stared at the raised marks on his skin with wide eyes.

“I…I did this?” Will’s breath hitched, in surprise or worry, Hannibal could not tell.

“In a way, yes. You were incapacitated at the time so you sent someone to do it for you. Do not worry, Will. I look fondly upon these marks, knowing that you are the reason they are seared into my skin.”

“Did you deserve it?” Will always had the power to surprise him. 

Hannibal chuckled and Will also gave a small smile, “In a way, yes. As for now, I believe that we have more work to do on the house. Then, I suggest we take a trip to the nearby river and you can try out your new fishing equipment.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you. Do you fish?”

“No, I was always more of a hunter. I have faith in your abilities though, as I expect fresh fish for dinner.”

“No pressure then.” Will laughed.

“Not at all.”

The men made their way to the kitchen and Will took a paintbrush and varnish whilst Hannibal took to sharpening the knives that had sat in the house. Hannibal knew he would procure more items for the kitchen but first, he would have to determine how long they were to stay at this house. He had yet to find himself lacking in entertainment or enjoyment. Despite his memory loss, Will remained an admirable conversationalist, asking questions that few others would think of and Hannibal had always found what Will had to say riveting. 

When each had finished their tasks, they set to dressing for the cold weather. Each took a coat, gloves and hat whilst Hannibal also packed a sketchbook and pencils, as well as sandwiches that he had prepared earlier. They walked side by side through the trees, the snow between their feet making the trek difficult, further exacerbated by their injuries. When they finally reached a clearing in the trees, a lake came into view, the water eerily still and no other people around. Hannibal watched as Will’s face lit up with joy and he rushed towards the edge of the water the way a child would run towards presents on Christmas morning. Hannibal could not help his own smile at the sight. 

“I will sit here whilst you fish,” Hannibal said as he set down his things on a flat rock. 

Will’s face contorted into a look of worry as he hesitated at the edge of the water, “What if I don’t know what to do?”

“You will.”

Will turned back towards the lake and, apparently finding his resolve, set up the fishing equipment, Hannibal watched as he skillfully attached the lure to the end of his line and set the pole into the ground. Hannibal watched the deep concentration on his face and started sketching. It was easy for him to copy the lines of Will’s face, something he had done time and time again in his office in Baltimore and then during his incarceration. With practiced ease he was able to sketch his face but no matter how hard he tried he was unable to recreate the immense beauty before him. 

When Hannibal finally looked up, he found that Will was looking at him, a small smile on his face that was dazzling, with the sun lighting him up. He felt his chest tighten in affection as well as sadness. He longed for the Will who engaged in philosophical conversations with him, who matched him in intellect and violence. Will who was capable of taking down the Dragon as well as the Ripper. 

The men went back to their tasks and soon enough Will came back to land with a fish in his hand, “Trout. Very impressive for your first try.”

“Yeah,” Will beamed, “I think I know what I’m doing.”

A few hours passed and Will caught three more fish. They both ate their lunch together and Will asked to see his drawings.

“I’m afraid you will not like what you see, Will.”

“Oh come on, you can’t be that bad an artist,” Will replied with a chuckle. When the sketchbook was opened and Will saw the drawing, he immediately stopped laughing. His jaw was slack in disbelief and his eyes were wide.

“Hannibal. This is incredible. Where did you learn to draw like this?”

Hannibal couldn’t help but preen at the praise, “a consequence of my time as a medical student. I also had a few years where I was free to practice as much as I wanted,” before Will could question what he meant by that Hannibal began to pack up, “Come, Will, we better head home.”

“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” They walked back to the cabin in silence, Hannibal carrying their recent catch and Will carrying the fishing equipment. When they entered the house Will quickly went to shower as Hannibal began preparing one of the fish for their dinner. It didn’t take long to season and then fry the fish, Will returning to the kitchen as Hannibal was putting the food on the table.

“It smells delicious, thank you.”

“It is I who should be thanking you for providing us with dinner.” Will smiled as they both took their seats at the table. They held each other’s gaze and Hannibal wondered whether he was being hopeful in thinking that Will was admiring him. 

“I think I will need more physical therapy on my shoulder after today. If you don’t mind helping?” Hannibal wanted to lick his cheeks where his blood had painted them red.

“Of course, Will. We can start as soon as we have finished dinner.”

Will nodded and looked back down at his plate, finishing his food. They made their way into the living room, each sitting on the sofa as Hannibal began rubbing Will’s shoulder. He moved the joint around to test his mobility and began rubbing the tense muscle. He could feel that Will was leaning further back towards him so that he was against Hannibal’s chest. Hannibal took in the heat that was transferred between them, basking in the sensation of Will’s weight against him. As he continued to massage the tense muscles in his back, he caught the smell of Will’s arousal. His nostrils flared as he took in the sweet scent.

Will didn’t seem to be aware of his current state of arousal with his eyes closed and body relaxed. Hannibal was stuck, a proverbial butterfly pinned down, as he encountered his own arousal coursing through his veins. He knew that he could not let Will see or feel his responding arousal and made to move away from the other man, with some regret. 

“I’m very glad that you have recovered so well.” 

“Hannibal…” Will said his name so quietly that Hannibal wouldn’t have been able to hear him if he hadn’t been so close. It was too soon to push Will, who was still so emotionally fragile. Hannibal regretted his actions as he stood up from the sofa.

“Come, Will. We can finish cleaning the kitchen today.”

\--X—

The men worked for a few more hours before Will announced that he was going to get ready for bed. Hannibal showered once Will was finished and made his way into his bedroom. After putting on pyjama trousers, he went to lay under the cool sheets. Hannibal lay in bed for around an hour when he heard his door open slowly, timidly.

“Hannibal. Are you awake?” A small voice called.

“Yes, Will. Are you alright?” Will entered the room and closed the door behind him. He didn’t move to turn on the light, instead making his way to the bed.

“I was wondering- if it’s okay- can I sleep here tonight? I have had nightmares the last couple of nights and haven’t been able to sleep.” Before Will had finished his sentence, Hannibal moved across the bed, giving him enough room to lay down.

“Of course, Will. You need only ask,” Will settled onto the bed and left a respectful distance between them, “Do you want to tell me about your nightmares?”

“You- you always die.” Will choked on the last word and looked away from him. Hannibal lifted his arm up to allow Will to come closer. The smaller man tucked his head under Hannibal’s chin and he could feel him relax under his arm.

“Thank you, Hannibal.”

“My pleasure, Will.”


	9. Ganymede

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I in no way condone this type of relationship dynamic, but when have our favourite murder husbands ever been normal?
> 
> I have no beta and I suck at editing so all mistakes are my own. Feel free to point any out!

Will woke up to an empty bed, the sheets cold and crisp beside him. He blinked a few times to clear his vision and could not see Hannibal anywhere in the room. He took a moment to stretch in the comfortable bed with soft sheets before sitting up, rolling his shoulders a few times to alleviate the cramp before standing up. Making his way to the kitchen, Will expected to find the other man there making breakfast, something that was a regular occurrence in their house. As he got there he still could not find him and there was no indication that he had been in the kitchen that morning.

“Hannibal?” Will called out to no avail. He made his way around the cabin, checking all of the rooms but no sign of Hannibal could be found.

“Hannibal? Are you here?” Again, there was no answer. Will could feel his heart speed up and his palms become clammy. He had never been in the house without Hannibal. They had always been together as they shopped or walked. He had never left without telling Will where he was going. Will took a deep breath to calm himself down and made his way into the living room where he placed a record on the record player. Soft classical music surrounded him, allowing him to relax marginally. 

Will walked towards the kitchen and started the coffee machine, forcing himself to drink the black liquid before it had cooled down, scalding his throat. He looked out of the window and saw that their car was also missing meaning Hannibal wasn’t near the property. Now Will began to panic and his breath quickened. He did not know anyone here, he didn’t have any means to communicate with another person. Everything he had was from Hannibal, he relied on Hannibal for everything. Now, he was alone in the house, the windows showing only endless trees and snow. Will felt completely isolated as he considered the possibilities. Hannibal had maybe just gone to the shop. Perhaps they were missing vital ingredients. But he had not woken Will, nor had he left a note saying when he would be back.

Maybe he was disgusted. Will had forced himself into Hannibal’s bed last night. Maybe when he had woken up he realised what had happened and left out of disgust. Will was sure that Hannibal liked him romantically. He had seen the way that he looked at him, staring at him when he thought Will didn’t notice. He also noticed the touches that lingered on Will’s skin for what seemed like hours. Now Will felt cold and lonely, worrying that he had scared away the only friend he had in this world.

Or Will could find some money, dress and make his way into town. See if he could find someone who spoke English and beg them to help him. Will did not know his other life, only small flashes of recognition at objects and words. When he and Hannibal talked, Will sometimes found that he had images of people and feelings, ambiguous and elusive enough to indicate that there was so much more that Will did not know. He relied on Hannibal to tell him the truth and he didn’t know what to believe. Hannibal had lied to him when he told him they had been in a car crash, he frequently avoided his questions, often leaving Will frustrated and angry. 

Now Will paced around the house alternating between being angry at Hannibal and worried for him. He was too preoccupied that he didn’t hear the car pulling into the driveway, nor the door slamming shut. Will turned around when he heard the front door open to reveal the older man, dressed in a thick coat with a scarf and hat. He watched dumbfounded for a few moments as Hannibal shed the superfluous layers as he made sure the other man was really there in front of him.

“Good morning Will. I apologise- “

“Oh thank god.” Will interrupted and quickly strode forwards towards him, holding Hannibal’s face in his hands as he kissed him frantically. Hannibal did not move for a few moments, shock evident in his eyes and by the fact that his body was tense. After a few moments, he felt him relax as he kissed Will back, making him moan in response. 

“Will- “ Hannibal was more than a little breathless and Will could feel his frantic heartbeat where they were pressed together. 

“Shh” Will did not allow him to finish as he kissed him again, this time harder. Will felt Hannibal’s hands rest on his hips, timid in comparison to the way his tongue entered his mouth. Will responded by running his hand through the dusty blond hair and tugging slightly, making Hannibal moan in response. They remained like that in the hallway until Hannibal pulled away from him. Will chased his mouth but was stopped as Hannibal took a step back, separating all points of contact. Will felt a rush of cool air take over him at suddenly being bereft of Hannibal’s body heat.

“Will I have gotten you something.” Hannibal’s accent was more pronounced and he remained slightly out of breath as he said it. 

“Can it wait?”

“I’m afraid not.” As Hannibal said it, Will could hear a thump from outside. Will’s eyebrows drew nearer in confusion to which Hannibal only responded with a smile. He reached out and opened the door to reveal a dog, small but not as young as a puppy. His coat was black and white and Will could see that it was missing an eye. Will instantly fell in love with the dog who remained cautious of him and his new surroundings. Will knelt to the ground, holding out his hand for the dog to smell. When the dog was satisfied, he slowly walked towards Will, finally letting him smooth the soft fur on his head. When Will looked up, he saw Hannibal smiling at him.

“His owner abandoned him after his eye was lost. He was bred to work on a farm but he was no use to them. I bought him at a shelter in the next town over. Is he…alright?”

“Alright? Hannibal, I love him. Can I keep him?” Will could not stop the excitement that was evident in his words.

“He is yours, Will. The young man at the shelter said that they did not have a name for him and that it was unclear whether his previous owners had given him another name. You are free to name him what you wish.”

“Faria,” Hannibal smiled at the name and Will responded with his own smile. He gave the dog one last stroke before standing back up, “Are you sure Hannibal? You don’t have to do this for me.”

“Will. There is nothing I would not do for you. I believe you and the dog will benefit each other greatly. Now come, I have some stuff for him. Although I do ask that he stay out of the kitchen.”

“Of course. I will begin training him straight away. Hannibal.” Hannibal turned around to face him.

“Yes Will?”

“Thank you.” Will kissed him again, this time gently and lasting less than a second. The response was no less exhilarating as Hannibal smiled, allowing Will to see crooked teeth and joy. 

\--X—

Will spent the next few hours bathing the dog, ridding his fur of any dirt and grime. He gave the dog some food with supplies that Hannibal had also brought back. He had bought a bed, a leash, a collar, what looked like expensive dog food, and a variety of toys. Will set up the bed in the utility room just off the kitchen and poured him a bowl of food. The dog ate wit enthusiasm, likely never eaten food so good before. Once he was done, Will made his way into the bathroom to take a shower and changed into a new shirt and slacks.  
He walked towards the library with a smile on his face and found Hannibal sat on one of the plush armchairs with a book in his hands. 

“Care for some company?” Will asked, already standing so close that their knees touched.

“I always desire your company, Will,” Hannibal replied with a smile. Will smiled back at him and plucked the book out of his hands, carefully placing it on the coffee table. He then placed his hands on Hannibal’s knees so that his feet hit the floor allowing Will to straddle his lap. Hannibal’s eyes widened and his hands immediately made their way to his hips and Will watched enraptured as Hannibal’s tongue swiped across his bottom lips.

“Will.” Hannibal’s voice sounded strained and Will worried that he had hurt his stomach injury.

“I’m sorry- “ Will went to get up but Hannibal’s hands tightened, keeping him firmly on his lap.

“Stay. Please, Will.”

“Of course.”

“I didn’t want to assume,” Hannibal said.

“About what?” As he said this, he drew closer to Hannibal, his lips nearing the other man’s and he watched as Hannibal’s gaze lowered to his mouth.

“The dog. This. Anything.” Will hadn’t known Hannibal for long, at least in this life, but he took him for a man who rarely could not find the words to say. Now, he rendered him speechless by only his proximity.

“You haven’t. Hannibal-,” Will brought himself closer so that they were chest to chest, “Hannibal. Thank you. For the dog, for giving me a home. I want this, I want you to kiss me.” Will had hardly finished his sentence when Hannibal’s lips were on his own. There was no hesitation as Hannibal plied his lips apart with his tongue and Will gasped as he felt the hot tongue touch his own. Hannibal moaned; a sound so sweet that Will could only answer with his own. 

They continued kissing until Will had to pull back to take a breath. As soon as he did, Hannibal’s lips latched onto his neck and began sucking. 

“Oh god, Hannibal. Yes.” Will couldn’t help the moans tumbling out of his mouth at the feeling of the other man’s lips. 

“Will,” Hannibal murmured between kisses to his collarbone, “Will I’ve wanted you,” another kiss to his sternum, “For so long.”

“Yes, yes. You can have me.” Will shifted so that his weight was pressed against Hannibal’s erection. Hannibal’s head snapped up and his mouth went slack. They stared into each other eyes as Will began to move, slow undulations against the strong body below him. They both moaned in unison as Hannibal sucked a bruise into his shoulder, a faint hint of teeth that did not break skin. 

“Please Hannibal,” Will continued to rock against him, heat rushing through his veins, and sparks of pleasure in his stomach. Hannibal ran his hands over his chest until he reached the bottom of his shirt, lifting it to reveal his stomach. He ran his hand along the silver scar there and, as he did so, Will felt Hannibal’s hips twitch, “Oh god Hannibal I want you so much. No one else,” as soon as he said it Hannibal froze, his hips stilling against his that continued to rock. 

“Will I-,” Will rocked back again, causing Hannibal to throw his head back and moan again, “Will I can’t.”

Before he knew what was happening, Will was gently lifted off of his lap and Hannibal turned them so that he sat on the previously occupied chair.

“Hannibal?” Will was confused and his body still rang with pleasure as his heartbeat started to slow down. 

“We can’t do this,” Hannibal replied and ran his hand over his face. It was the most emotion he had seen from the other man, “Wait here, please,” and before he could reply, the older man was gone. 

Will sat on the chair, his erection still tenting the front of his pants and his hair dishevelled from wandering hands. Hannibal came back less than a minute later with his head down and a stormy look on his face. Will looked down at his hands to see that he was holding something.

“This is yours.” Hannibal passed him the object, a plain gold ring.

“What is this Hannibal?” Will asked and held up the band. 

“It’s your wedding ring.” Will’s head snapped up as he looked at him. Hannibal did not meet his eye as he looked back down and then at Hannibal again.

“My what?”

“Your wedding ring. I took it off you when you were unconscious,” Hannibal repeated, “I wanted to tell you earlier but there was no time that seemed appropriate and that would not result in you getting angry. You’re married.”

“To whom?” Will’s voice was still laced with confusion as he stood up from the chair to stand face to face with Hannibal. 

“To a woman called Molly. You had a stepson as well. Before-“

“Before what Hannibal?” Will’s voice rose as he felt anger rush through him as he struggled to comprehend this new information. 

“Will please let me explain.”

“No Hannibal. I gave you a chance to explain, I gave you multiple chances and you didn’t take it. I cannot believe this.”

“Will- “

“What happened to me?” Will felt himself falling further and further into despair.

“How do you mean, Will?”

“Why don’t I remember anything. How did I lose my memory?”

“You threw us off a cliff.” Hannibal’s calm voice only furthered Will’s anger.

“What?”

“You and I are wanted criminals Will. You threw us off a cliff to kill us. Evidently we did not die.”

“I am not a criminal.”

“You are now. I gave you a chance to leave and you didn’t take it.”

“I didn’t know that I was married! She may be looking for me.”

“We are assumed dead. No one is actively looking for us.”

Will paused at that and stared at Hannibal for a few moments. He continued pacing around the room, his arousal completely replaced by burning anger. He took a deep breath in and out before turning back towards Hannibal and regarded him for a moment. His face was impassive, but his hair was a mess and his clothes wrinkled from where they had touched. This only irritated Will more as he was seemingly unaffected by his anger. 

“What did you do Hannibal?” Will didn’t need to specify what he was talking about.

“I kill people, Will. I transformed them into higher beings than what they were alive, made art and beauty from those who lacked it. I gave myself up and was put in a cell so you would always know where I was and that you could always come back to me and you did. You came to me. It was your idea to let me out to lure in another killer.”

“No,” every touch and love-filled look did not paint the picture of a killer. Will had felt those hands, listened to confessions of love leave his lips. The man in front of him had saved him, “Stop it.”

“He attacked us and we killed him,” Hannibal continued, placing his hands gently on Will’s shoulders, “You then attempted to end both of our lives by throwing us off a cliff. We survived and when you woke up on Chiyoh’s boat you didn’t remember anything. I couldn’t leave you, Will. You could not go back to your wife, to your child. You had nowhere to go but with me and that is where you are supposed to be. I let you go once, three years ago and I was not going to let you go again.” Will remained silent throughout the entire time Hannibal spoke. He first tried to comprehend that Hannibal was a murderer, who had just admitted to killing multiple people and had been in prison. The thought made him numb, all anger leaving his body as he stood in front of him. The man covered in scars and had covered Will in scars was in front of him, feeding and housing him, kissing him and giving him a dog. Will couldn’t believe it.

“No. No. No. Stop it.” He pleaded.

“Will, you wanted the truth. I have only kept it from you as you are currently in a fragile mental state and you have suffered a major head injury. You chose to be with me in death, a far longer sentence than in life. You killed the Great Red Dragon with me, and I watched as you accepted who you truly are. This is all I’ve ever wanted for you, Will.” Will felt like his brain was on fire as he took in what Hannibal had to say. He couldn’t take it anymore, pushing past him and made his way into the kitchen where he put on his coat and boots.

“I can’t be here,” Will said in a small but steady voice.

“Will, you cannot be alone right now. It is snowing, you are upset, and not fully healed. Will listen to me,” Will paused in the doorway, his back still turned towards Hannibal but giving him the chance to speak, “You and I are meant to be here together. We have eluded each other for years and caused each other pain. I did what I believed to be right. It is by your hand that I was incarcerated, and it was by your hand that I was set free. Your hold on me is far greater than I have on you. Please, Will.” 

“I can’t be here right now Hannibal! I can’t look at you!” Will opened the door to a wave of snowflakes. He began walking with no set directions. Hannibal pulled on a pair of boots and followed him whilst calling to him. 

“Where are you going Will?” Hannibal called behind him.

“Away from you!” He spat back at him. 

“You don’t know where you’re going. You could get lost.” Hannibal replied, irritating him with his patronising tone.

“I don’t care!” Will continued forwards in the snow.

“Will. Will!” Hannibal’s voice was lost to the wind and when Will finally turned around, he found that the other man was no longer following him.  
Will continued until his face burned with cold and all he could see was snow-covered trees. He dropped to his knees and cried. 

\--X—

Hannibal stood in the kitchen of their shared cabin and stared at the dog still sleeping on his bed. Will had left hours before and the breathing of the canine was the only sound in the cabin. He cursed at himself for losing Will again when he finally had him. The smaller man had been so near and had tasted so sweet, Hannibal had never anticipated the way his mouth would feel on his own. Now, Will had left him. The feeling Hannibal had experienced all those years ago when will had told him that he would not look for him came rushing back and Hannibal was faced with being rejected by Will again. He watched as the dog twitched his leg in his sleep having not been disturbed by their argument. 

The dog had been an offering, to show Will that he was committed to their life in their small cabin. He rarely had opportunity for doubt, always commanding the situation in the way that suited him. Now, he stood alone in their cabin, unable to find it in himself to shower or make dinner, afraid that in doing so he would miss Will’s return. He would come back, of that Hannibal was sure, he had retuned to him once and he will do so again. Yet hours had passed, and Hannibal still stood where Will had left him. He could not purge the image of his pleasure-filled face from his mind. Like a nymph pulling Hylas into the water, Hannibal would allow Will to pull him into the ocean again, if he desired to. He could not be sure when Will had succeeded in capturing him, but he thought that it was perhaps the moment his eyes met his in defiance the day Jack introduced them in his office. If not then, it was as Will walked into his office, victorious in his fight with Tobias Budge, as Hannibal believed him dead.

He made his way into the library and frowned at the now empty chair that they had occupied. He had Will and had lost him to his wife, a woman he did not know. He did not know if Will would return. If he walked far enough in one direction, he would be able to reach one of the surrounding neighbours with an hour or two. Hannibal was considering the options when he heard the front door open and close softly. 

He walked towards the kitchen to be met with Will’s cold stained face. When he looked down, he saw that his hands were empty and his fingers red. 

“Will.” Hannibal was sure that he was incapable of any other word at that moment. The sight of Will was enough to take any other words out of his mouth. 

“Why didn’t you tell me before that I was married?” Will met his eyes but this time it was Hannibal who could not meet them.

“I was worried you would leave me.”

“Don’t you think that it was a decision I should have made myself?”

“I often find, Will, that I don’t know what to do when it comes to you. I am sorry.”

“You strike me as the kind of person who doesn’t often admit they are wrong.”

Hannibal breathed out a laugh as he replied, “you would be correct.”

Will gave a small smile in response, “please will you be honest with me from now on?”

“Yes. I will do anything you ask of me.”

“Good.” Will walked towards the bedrooms and opened the door to Hannibal’s room. Hannibal stood in the doorway as he watched him strip to his shirt and underwear and pulled back the sheets, “Are you just going to stand there?” Will said as he looked back to him.

Hannibal finally found his footing as he walked towards the bed, taking off his jumper and changing into a pair of pyjama pants. He joined Will under the covers and turned off the sidelight. He cautiously shuffled towards Will so that they were close enough to touch, if Will decided to do so.

“I threw it away if you were wondering,” Will said to the surrounding darkness, “My ring I mean.”

“You did?”

“Yes, it didn’t seem right to keep it. This is my life now. Here, with you.”

“I will do everything I can to make sure you don’t regret your decision.” Hannibal could only whisper in response as he felt tears form in his eyes. Will turned towards him and placed an arm over his chest. They lay like that until Hannibal could hear Will’s breath even, indicating that he was asleep. Not long after Hannibal joined him in the abyss. 

\--X—

Hannibal woke up slowly to the feeling of Will pressed against his chest. He breathed in the scent of the other man and watched his face move in his sleep. He could not believe that he had returned to him, he had the chance to leave and now he lay in his bed, in his arms. Hannibal tightened his hold on the younger man and thanked every god he had shunned that he had been given this. 

Hannibal lay there for around an hour, unwilling to leave the bed, until Will began to stir. He felt him shift closer to his chest and let out a low groan. He watched as ocean blue eyes slowly opened to take in their surroundings.

“Good morning, Will.”

“Mmm mornin’” Will’s voice was low and the vibrations penetrated Hannibal’s body where they were pressed together. Will shifted so that he faced the other man and lay his head on Hannibal’s chest. 

“I cannot believe that you returned to me. I will do anything to give you what you need.”

“Are you always this talkative in the morning?” Will laughed, “Where else would I go?”

“Will, I want you to be here out of choice, not because you feel as though there is no other option.”

“Hannibal. I’m here,” Will leaned forwards and pressed his lips against his. Hannibal groaned at the contact and allowed Will to explore his mouth with his willing tongue. When he felt the wet muscle probe his mouth, he opened to let it in. Will pulled himself closer and Hannibal allowed him time to explore, hesitant to push him again. When Will’s hand moved to grab his hair he could not contain a groan, “Hannibal touch me, please,” and Hannibal, with all his self-restraint and power, could not deny him such a lovely request. He placed his hand on his arm and trailed it up to his neck. He loosely held on as they began to kiss in earnest. 

He ran his hand over his chest and around to his back and he felt Will pull at the hair on his chest. Will pushed their bodies together and each let out a moan as their arousals touched through their clothing. Will rocked against him and Hannibal could do nothing to stop him, even if he wanted to. The heat between them was stifling but it felt heavenly and Hannibal used the hand on Will’s back to pull them closer together. He felt Will pull at the pyjama bottoms that he wore, and Hannibal only briefly stopped him to force out, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. God please Hannibal I can’t wait any longer,” and he pulled his trousers down until he was exposed, his erection hot between them.

“Will, let me,” Hannibal shifted so that he could get his hand between them to expose his arousal. Both moaned as they pressed against each other, moving like the waves that brought them to this new life. Will grasped him with just enough pressure and used his thumb to tease at the head of his cock. He continued stroking Will with a firm grip as the other man leaked profusely. The only sound in the bedroom was the slick ease of the hands and the small gasps and moans from the men. 

Hannibal could feel the pressure building in the base of his spine as Will worked his flesh and, by the way Will’s hips twitched, he was as close as Hannibal.

“Will, I’m close,” Hannibal breathed against his mouth.

“Me too. Yes, right there,” Hannibal twisted his hand and felt Will’s body freeze with pleasure. As he came Hannibal sucked at his taut neck, moaning as Will’s hand tightened on him. Hannibal was close behind him and he let Will go to bring his dirty hand to his mouth. He sucked his fingers into his mouth to taste Will’s release and Will’s eyes widened at the action. The taste was enough to bring Hannibal over the edge and he came with Will’s hand around him.

When they had regained their breath and their arousal dissipated, they lay together on the bed. Will turned his head so that he looked at Hannibal and said with a smile on his face, “What are you planning for breakfast?”

Hannibal smiled back as he replied, “I will make you whatever you want, you need only ask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Faria is a reference to a character from The Count of Monte Cristo!


	10. Yearning

Hannibal awoke as sunlight drifted through the curtains in his bedroom. He looked at the clock that sat on his bedside table and saw that it was late morning, both having fallen asleep after their time together. He was immediately aware of the weight on his chest and the sweet smell of Will’s shampoo where his head lay underneath his chin. He could help but smile as he took in the heat of the other man’s body and the realisation that they were together in bed. It had taken them years to come together, his time in prison passed as he imagined their reunion. A quiet life with a wife and child were not enough for Will and he returned to Hannibal, the first glance between them in three years telling of more.

He looked down to see Will’s sleeping form, his face calm and soft in the morning light. He really was an extraordinary creature, all sharp edges and pale skin. Hannibal could still recall the way his skin had felt against him, soft smooth skin contrasting with hair and muscle. Now, his weight lay on top of him, a stark reminder of the previous night. It had been a shock when Will kissed him the hallway and Hannibal had struggled to compose himself for the first time in years as their mouths came together. Will had not hesitated as he kissed Hannibal, a pleasant surprise as he had considered Will more reserved. Looking back perhaps it was a foolish assumption as Will had always matched Hannibal in power, even when he had not known it. 

Hannibal lay in bed for approximately an hour before he started to rise. He was reluctant to leave the heat of Will’s body but he considered it best to allow Will to wake up alone so he could deal with what had transpired between them the previous night. He believed that Will had not engaged in a romantic or sexual relationship with a man before and Hannibal did not want to push him when he been so close to losing him the day before. 

Making his way downstairs, Hannibal was sure to allow the new addition of their household into the garden and filled his bowl with food. Hannibal recalled the animals his family had kept during his childhood, but he had not had a pet since the death of his parents. Now he stood in his shared home with the man he loved and a dog, the picture of domesticity that he would have baulked at before meeting Will Graham. If Jack Crawford could see them now he would not believe it. 

“Hannibal?” He did not hear the younger man as he entered the kitchen, lost completely in his thoughts. 

“Will,” Hannibal was not surprised at the affection evident in his voice, “I am sorry if I woke you up.”

“It’s okay. We should probably eat something anyways.”

“Of course, is there anything in particular that you would like me to make for you?”

“Anything works for me.”

Hannibal set the preparing breakfast, aware of Will’s eyes on his form the entire time. He did not shy away from the knowledge. He had been watched constantly for the last three years. Now, though, the eyes did not watch him with hate or disgust, the affection and love tangible. He finished preparing an omelette for them to share and placed two plates with the omelette, pieces of fruit and yoghurt that he had bought during their last trip to the market.

“Thank you, it looks great.”

“You are very welcome, Will.” They ate in companionable silence until both of them had finished their food. Hannibal made no move to get up as Will stayed seated. Hannibal was mildly surprised at what he asked him next,

“Who was the first?” Hannibal did not have to ask him to elaborate, it was abundantly clear that he was talking about killing.

“I was 16. I was living with my Aunt after the murder of my family. He deserved it.”

“You don’t regret what happened to you?”

“I happened, Will. I don’t regret much of what I have done.”

“Even prison?” 

“Even prison.” Will seemed confused at the answer and Hannibal could tell that he needed further clarification.

“Why not? You lost your dignity and freedom; you can’t step foot in America without being recognised. Was it worth it?”

“It was worth it because it led me back to you.” The finality in which he said it brought an end to their conversation and Will seemed satisfied, if the small grin was any indication.  
They both stood up and went to put their used plates in the sink. When Hannibal turned around, they were standing close to each other and Hannibal slowly lifted his hands to Will’s hips, giving him enough time to say no if he wanted to. He remained silent so Hannibal held onto his hips gently and smiled softly at the intimate moment. 

“Hannibal I-“ Will stopped speaking when Hannibal ran his hand up his chest to lay on his cheek. After a moment of contact, Will opened his mouth to continue what he was going to say, “I remember some more things.”

Hannibal froze at the confession but his hesitation was only temporary. The hand on his hip continued its soft strokes and he replied, “What do you remember?”

“Only some things, faces and some names. I’ve had a few flashbacks of places. Nothing concrete enough that I can put together my entire life pre-fall.”

“It seems you are healing. If the amnesia was a symptom of physical damage to your head then this is a good sign. It is possible it was a response to the emotional trauma. Regardless, I am glad to hear of your progress. If you would like, you can tell me what you remember, and I can fill in any gaps that I can.”

“Yeah that would be great, thanks.”

They made their way into the living room and sat next to each other on the couch. There was no hesitation as they sat so their bodies pressed against one another. Will started to describe places and people and Hannibal would tell him about their role in his life. After a few hours had passed, they had spoken about most of their shared history. Will appeared tired after the exhaustion of trying to place all of the puzzle pieces of his memory. 

“Why don’t you go and lie down whilst I prepare us some food?” Hannibal asked him as he gently pried him from the couch. 

“Actually, I was thinking…you could come with me?” The nervous tilt of his voice at the end of his question was so endearing that Hannibal had to kiss him then. He didn’t answer him vocally, instead leading him by the hand to his bedroom, where they had slept next to each other a few hours earlier. 

When they had entered the bedroom and closed the door it was Hannibal who waited for Will to continue, to show him what he wanted. He watched as Will took off his shirt and pulled at Hannibal’s indicating for him to do the same. Will stepped forward and ran his hands down his chest, causing Hannibal to shiver despite the warm temperature of the room. 

“Do you have…?” Will blushed as he pulled Hannibal to the bed. 

“Will are you sure that you are ready for more?”

“Yes, Hannibal I know what I want.”

“Give me a moment please.” Hannibal lifted himself off the bed to walk to the drawers that covered the wall opposite. He opened the top one and took out a small tube of lube, a purchase he had made secretly a few days ago. He had not anticipated that Will would be ready for anything more now, both of them still recovering from their injuries, although both were nearly back to full health. He also wanted to be sure that he knew exactly what he wanted considering the possibility of emotional trauma. Hannibal nearly smirked at the concern he had for Will, something that had never felt with any of his other sexual partners. 

“What would you like, Will?” Hannibal asked as he lowered himself back on the bed so that his body covered the smaller man. 

“I want you to um-“ Will stopped and averted his eyes, a blush creeping up his cheeks that had nothing to do with the arousal coursing between them, “I want you to fuck me.”  
Hannibal felt a surge of electricity in his veins at the words and he unconsciously shivered in anticipation. 

“Are you sure?” He managed to make out between his suddenly ragged breaths. 

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I broke this chapter up so the next one is pure smut. Sorry (not sorry).


	12. Deliverance

Small gasps were the only sound in the bedroom as Will and Hannibal moved against one another. Hannibal was poised above Will and the heat between them was almost stifling as they moved against each other. In all his affairs, Hannibal had never allowed himself this. All encounters were perfectly composed with a subtle seduction throughout the night, followed by gentle caresses and soft kisses. Now, Hannibal was almost desperate as he kissed Will and ran his hands along the flesh before him. Both men lay naked on the bed, each shaking with want. 

“Will, relax for me,” Hannibal whispered in Will’s ear as he covered his fingers in lube and ran his hand down Will’s slender frame, “It will feel better if you are relaxed.”

“Have you done this before?”

“A few times, a long time ago. Now, open your legs for me.” Will complied as he planted his feet at the side of Hannibal’s hips, allowing him to lay between Will’s legs. The sight was almost too much for Hannibal as he took a deep breath to compose himself. He ran his fingers down Will’s erection, eliciting a small gasp from the man. When he looked up, he saw that Will was watching him intently. Hannibal trailed his hand further down until he reached Will’s entrance and slowly circled his fingers around the small opening. 

“Please Hannibal,” Will was hardly able to finish his sentence before it was cut off with a groan as Hannibal started to press forward, effectively penetrating the tight muscle. 

Hannibal pulled his finger out slightly before pushing back in with more force until it was seated completely inside. He stayed there for a few moments to allow Will to relax around the intrusion and stroked his free hand up and down his thigh. 

“You can move,” and to further illustrate his point, Will pushed his hips down, pulling Hannibal’s finger further inside himself. Hannibal slowly began to thrust his hand, quickening his pace as it was accepted with ease. He began to add another finger and Will only encouraged this as he continued to swirl his hips against his hand. Hannibal would have been content to allow Will to take his pleasure but instead put the idea to the back of his mind for another time. Now, all he wanted to do was be close to Will. 

“Another,” Will let out in a small breathless voice. Hannibal could only do as Will said and quickly added a third finger. They continued to move together, and the quick breaths became louder. Hannibal closed his eyes to take in the sounds that the younger man was making and only opened them when Will said, “I’m ready” in a voice that was breathless but confident. 

Hannibal pulled himself up so that their faces were only inches apart and he could not help himself as he kissed Will’s lips. Will replied in turn and brought his hands to Hannibal’s face, allowing his tongue inside his mouth. They stayed like this for a while until neither could wait any longer. With one last look at Will, Hannibal began to push forward.  
Both men let out a groan as Hannibal pushed until his hips were settled against the back of Will's thighs. It took all of his self-control to keep still and allow Will to adjust. A small shift of his hips elicited a pained noise and Hannibal was about to pull out when Will stopped his by wrapping his legs around his hips.

“No. Just give me a sec.” Hannibal only had to wait a moment before Will pulled him closer and began slowly rocking his hips. Hannibal joined him in his movements, allowing them to come together. Their movements picked up speed until they were both breathless and moaning.

He lowered himself onto his forearms so that he could press his forehead against Will’s. Their mouth’s pressed together and they breathed each other’s air. The heat between them was overwhelming but there was nothing that would make Hannibal stop his movements. Will held on tight, and Hannibal could only wonder if the action would remind Will of that night on the bluff as they held each other. The thought was quickly pushed out of his head when he felt nails dig into his back, causing him to gasp and buck his hips. The thought that Will would mark him caused another jolt of electricity to surge through him and he picked up the speed of his thrusts. 

Hannibal could feel the heat in his lower back build as he rushed towards completion. The tight heat around his cock was incredible and the noises Will made indicated that he felt the same way. If Hannibal had the capacity to, he would have considered the inevitability of their joining. Instead, he could only focus on supple skin and the wandering hands on his back.

“Will, I’m so close.”

“I know, I Know. Me too.”

They didn’t have to say anything else as they both rushed towards climax. Will’s body was tightening around him and Hannibal bought his hand between them to grasp his erection. He was hot and heavy. And it only took a few strokes as well as a swipe on his thumb on the head of his cock for Will’s orgasm to rush through him. He shouted out in pleasure and body went taut as he held onto Hannibal with a firm grip. Hannibal was close behind him but when he heard a small gasp of “Hannibal” leave Will’s lips, he allowed himself to lose control. He buried his face into Will’s neck as he allowed the pleasure to last, leaving him warm and relaxed. He slowly pulled out, mindful not to hurt the younger man and moved off of him. 

Hannibal climbed off the bed, leaving the room to get a towel before quickly made his way back to the bedroom. He was met with a slightly worried look on Will’s face as he likely thought Hannibal would have regretted what they had done. The look of fear faded quickly as he wiped Will’s body, getting rid of most of the mess. 

Once he was done, he climbed back into bed, pulling the sheet up so that both of their bodies were covered. He stayed still as Will turned to face him and only moved when an arm was placed around him. They lay pressed together as each fell towards sleep. Hannibal’s eyes were closed and he was on the precipice of sleep when he heard Will say, in a faint voice,

“Thank you, Hannibal.” 

He was about to ask why Will was thanking him but the other man had fallen asleep. Instead, he chose to watch his relaxed face until he too was pulled into the darkness.


End file.
